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University of SC Aiken

USC Aiken Pacers Athletics
 471 University Parkway Aiken, SC 29801
Division 2 South Carolina Southeast
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Tina Murphy

Tina Murphy is in her first year at the helm of the women's soccer team at USC Aiken.


“Tina brings great energy and passion with a detailed plan to build a competitive program at USC Aiken, Herlihy stated. “She has a track record of program improvement and player development. Tina has championship experience to her credit. At every turn during the search, we heard she was a natural leader who was a tireless recruiter and raised the bar for those around her every day. We are excited for her leadership of our women’s soccer program.”


She becomes the fifth head coach in school history for a program that will celebrate its 25th year as an NCAA program in the fall of 2021.


Murphy, a veteran of NCAA Division I and NAIA soccer, joins the Pacers after three years at the helm of Montreat College in Montreat, N.C. Murphy took over a program that was ranked 190 out of 195 NAIA teams and has helped the program soar into the top 40 in the country (No. 36 out of 128 that played in the fall of 2020). She was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for her effort.


In the three years prior to her taking over the Cavaliers’ program, Montreat had two total wins in conference play. By the third season, the squad had a .708 winning percentage.


She helped the defense reduce the number of goals allowed from 68 the year before her arrival to just eight in the fall of 2020. During the same time, the offense went from a nine-goal campaign in 2017 to 38 in 2020 despite playing fewer matches.


Not to be outdone off the field, one-third of Montreat’s team was named to the league’s all-academic team while the overall team GPA stood at 3.43.


Prior to her arrival at Montreat, Murphy was the Elite Training coach for one of the largest youth clubs in the country – North Carolina FC, further developing herself as a coach and continuing to establish and strengthen her recruiting ties in the Southeast. Murphy was responsible for tryout evaluations and leading training sessions while possessing high demonstration ability as a coach.


From 2011-13, Murphy served as the assistant coach at Division I Liberty University for three seasons. There, she developed key recruiting relationships throughout the Southeast region. With the Flames, she recruited prospective student-athletes, prepared film and match analysis, assisted in the planning and training sessions, coordinated all aspects of travel, designed and led spring and summer workout programs and ran individual player development training sessions.


From 2008-10, she was the head coach of Praia Grande Brazil as she pioneered a first-year team competing in the 1st Division Professional league in Sao Paulo. Her team placed in the top four of every event they entered.


Murphy has also been the head coach of the Triangle United Soccer Association, Central Virginia United Soccer Club and the Olympic Development Program.


A Walter Panas H.S. graduate in New York, Murphy was a Parade All-American and was named one of the top five defenders nationally. She played for the University of North Carolina, winning four national championships and five ACC titles during her time. Murphy was selected to the U-20 Women’s National Team pool, was on the ACC honor roll and made the Dean’s List under legendary Hall of Fame coach Anson Dorrance.


After earning her bachelor of science in exercise and sport science in 2000 from UNC, Murphy played semi-professionally for the Charlotte Lady Eagles in the W-League. She was named captain after her first year and remained in the role until she retired seven years later. A two-time All-W-League and three-time all-conference selection, Murphy is the all-time leading goal-scorer and all-time points leader for the Eagles under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach lee Horton.


Murphy also played professional for three years with Santos Futebol Clube (Brazil 1st Division), Bristol Football Club (England 1st Division) for two years and she spent a year with Ferroviária Futebol Clube (Brazil 1st Division).


She holds a United States Soccer Federation ‘C’ License, United States Soccer Federation ‘D’ License and United States Soccer Federation ‘E’ License.

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Alecia McNiff

Alecia McNiff is in her first year as the assistant women's soccer coach at USC Aiken.


She comes to USC Aiken with head coach Tina Murphy after spending the previous season at Montreat. She helped the Cavaliers to an 8-3-3 ledger.


In 2020, McNiff was the assistant women's soccer coach at Marshall University. There, she assisted with practice and game plan development and implementation. McNiff was responsible for designing plans and training goalkeepers and pregame keeper preparation.


The Marietta, Pa. native previously coached as an assistant at Saint Francis University in her home state for five seasons. From 2015 through 2019, McNiff guided the Red Flash soccer players and program to numerous accomplishments after playing with the school all four years of her undergrad. While with SFU, she was in charge of goalkeeper training.


Under five-time Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year, Brenda van Stralen, McNiff mentored a pair of NEC Player of the Years, two NEC Golden Boot winners, an NEC Midfielder of the Year, 18 all-conference players and nine all-rookie athletes. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the Red Flash won the NEC Championship and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.


As a player with the Red Flash from 2010 to 2014, McNiff notched three NEC Defender of the Year honors, becoming the first NEC player to win multiple Defender of the Year awards in a career. McNiff, who was a captain her senior season, led a back line that held opposition scoreless in 34 matches throughout her four years with the team.


Her sophomore, junior and senior seasons, McNiff earned recognition as an all-region defender, while being named a Scholar All-American by the National Soccer Coaches' Association her final two years of play. McNiff celebrated a pair of NEC Championships as a player in 2010 and 2013, prior to earning her bachelor's degree in exercise physiology from Saint Francis in 2014.

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